Napalm
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: A ruthless vigilante has made himself a home and a name within Academy City. His mission is unknown. Yet his methods are anything but; wherever he sets foot he always charrs his victims to ash, sparing no one. There is no remorse. There are no survivors. Who is this mystery man? What does he want? And why is he so captivated by a certain Railgun? NarutoxMikoto!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, all! I'm back! First off, I wanted to say thank you to all those who have supported me and encouraged me to stick with what I'm doing, and more importantly, to remain on this site. I've decided to buck and, despite the the undue anger and aggression I've been receiving from both sources anonymous and otherwise...I'm going to stick around. Writing has been my passin for all of six years, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. If I stopped writing on this sight I'd just feel...hollow, ya know?**

**Now, I've been through the ringer as of late, but it seems things are finally starting to look up for me at long last. My living situation has been rectified, I'll be going back to school soon, and to top it all off, I recently found a new job! Today, was orientation. Now,I know what you're thinking. Will work cut down on the frantic updating I've been doing as of late? Not so! There are many hours in the day, and I'm definitely going to work hard to continue to update all my fics-Prometheus being one of them- So thanks, ya'll for the support. Love you guys! Now...**

**...let's burn!**

_"Fire is life. Fire is death. Fire is me."_

_~Napalm._

**Napalm**

Fire.

The element of Life. Warmth. Change.

It is energy, heat, given physical form.

Since ancient times, this eldritch force has both captivated mankind and terrified it at the same time. T'was a fire that first allowed us to crawl out of the primordial muck; fire, which came before tools and the wheel. It enabled us to hunt, to find warmth at night. Eventually, fire became a beacon for humans everywhere-an eternal symbol of both hope and progress: a constant reminder of that first, tentative, tender spark which would one day fling humanity itself to the precipiece of civilization and evolution.

But fire is not always good. It does not discriminate between gender, does not decide the difference in weak or strong. Young or old. Black and white. It simply consumes them all-burning brighter and stronger as more and more fuel is fed to it. In time, it even devours even the air itself, gorging itself until even that which first sustained it is no more. Fire is life-yet so too is it a poison.

Because for all its warmth and blessings and promises of protection from the cold, fire is also death. Destruction. Chaos. Anger. Wrath.

And if you get too close...

_...you might get burned._

* * *

Academy City.

A place where scientists and students alike call their home.

Armed with the most advanced technology known to man, this place serves as the world's leading educational institution for special students who display feats of supernatural power, and the greatest minds of the world to study and help these students to harness these abilities. These students-or Espers as they are referred to-come from alll parts of the world to take part in the Power Curriculum Program for a chance to harness these abilities. It is a paradise for those who wish to learn, a breeding ground for new ideas, concepts and designs.

But even a metropolis such as this is not without its own flaws.

Crime, for one.

It seemed that no matter where one went or what one did, there was always someone plotting against the city. Be it a maniac with a god complex, insane mages, or even something as simple and innane as a common bank robbery; there was always some new strife taking place in some part of this fair city somewhere, somehow. One could no sooner change this than they could cease breathing. Ordinarily Judgement and Anti - Skill were tasked with handling these matters. Sometimes they didn't make it in time.

Sometimes they arrived to find the crime scene scorched, the perpetrators turned to ash by a great and intense heat.

Tonight was the latter.

Evening had fallen upon the fair Academy City. Not a soul to be seen.

Just as planned.

_"Go, go, go!"_

The shutters of the bank blew themselves violently open in a mighty explosion, sending shards of molten hot steel shooting out into the street. Alarms wailed. Three men scramblled out under the cover of darkness and clamored away from the scene of the crime, clutching tight their spoils over their backs in sacks. These robbers in question weren't a particularly bright bunch; but for some misbegotten reason, they'd gone with the old cliche and had chosen to strike at night with their heist. Rather than during broad daylight hours it had seemed a good idea. At the time.

But now, when they piled into the car, it would not start. Rather it did, but the tires-melted to the asphalt-simply refused to be budged. By the time someone realized this, sixty seconds had passed. Ordinarily, a minute wasn't viewed of with much consequence in the grand scheme of things, but to these men, time was of the essence. And that lone minute, sealed their fates. In the time it took them to realize that they weren't gettting any traction, another thirty seconds had passed them by now.

"What the hell?!" one of them grumbled, his voice breaking in annoyance. "Why aren't we moving?!" No one noticed the blur of movement over their heads. None saw the crimson meteor streaking towards them.

"Its the tires boss, they're just not-

_Whump!_

A dull _thud_ signalled the dear departure of their transmission as well - the engine sputtering and dying. Followed by the hood crumpling as a crimson blur dropped from the rooftops to land in a pointed crouch upon the engine block. There was a silence, jagged in its severity. And then all hell broke loose. Screams tore through the car in a cacophony of swearing and spitting as everyone tried to clamor into the back seat and get _away _from the scarlet spectre. He snarled at them with words that sounded like a thousand slowly moving avalanches.

"Hello, boys." the venom in his voice nearly made their spines melt. "Going somewhere?"

The trio fearfully shook their heads.

"Good. Very good." The smoldering wraith of wrath lingered there another moment, bright eyes, one red, the other blue, leering angrily into the driver's seat. "Then, you won't mind if I do_...this?" _Before anyone could think to stop him an arm pistonned forward, punching through their glass and snatching up one of the burglars in the blink of an eye. A jerk of his wrist sent the man screaming through the broken windshield steering wheel and all, to land yards away in a crumpled. So much for the get away car. And the driver.

The others scranbled out after him, nearly tripping over themselves in an attempt to escape.

"Whoa, whoa, who the hell is this guy?!"

Physically, speaking, he didn't look all that menacing. The boy -for this was no man- wore a deep red jacket and dark onyx pants, his feet sheahted in military-issue boots, the kind one might use to stomp through mud in a swamp somewhere. His hands were jammed into pockets that had seen better days. He wasn't tall, but neither could he be called short. A cowl covered most of his head, a half-mask concealing the lower portion of the rest of his features in shadow. He couldn't have been more than thirteen, maybe fourteen years old. Still those eerie, mismatching orbs-one red, the other blue-bored into them, narrow with contempt.

"That money doesn't belong to you." his voice vibrated with barely controlled anger. "Would you kindly put it back?"

"Like hell!"

He turned slowly, idly regarding the man who had spoken, the one he'd tossed out the windshield not so long ago. Somehow, he was moving.

"Ara, you're still alive?"

"Don't understimate me, damnit!" That man-a Level Three Esper-raised a hand and began focusing power into it. Before long a baseball-sized sphere of orange energy had gathered in the palm of his hand, crackling in a golden glow of fire and flame. "Eat shit and die!" He launched it forward with a snarl. If the boy in red looked at all threatened by this approaching spheroid he did little to show it. All he did was raise a hand, offering a palm in recompense for the burglar's temerity.

_Catch._

His eyes drifted shut. Fingers closed around the ball of flame and clenched, snuffing it out like a tiny candle.

"Hmmph, is that it?" he scoffed, those eyes flying open again. "You call this a flame? This is not a flame."

**_"This is a flame."_**

The blond lifted his right hand in front of his face and took a deep, slow breath. Suddenly golden flames erupted from the air and deep into his palm, forming into a white-hot sphere, cradling between his fingertips. He pivoted and slammed that blazing fist into the center of the street. There was a silence, jagged in its intensity.

And the night erupted.

_Whoosh._ There was a blinding flash, and _new _flames erupted from under the boy's feet. A circle of fire spread out across the street, engulfing the poor pyro esper instantaneously. The man didn't even have any time to scream before his body turned to ash.

The remaining two leapt away almost immediately, but not before the spreading flames reached their feet and singed the bottoms of their shoes. Only a few yards away, the surface of asphalt was a blaze, tongues of fire snaking up in tendrils from the center around the boy. The flames around him quivered as their heat was channeled up into the blazing attack. Those golden tendrils seemed almost _alive_ rolling and twisting upon themselves. And yet he was not harmed by this power. His power. Not in the slightest.

If anything he seemed...pleased.

"Shit! Shoot him! _Shoot him!"_

Bullets lit the air at breakneck speeds-and were immediately charred to so much ash before they could so much as touch him. He snapped his fingers and their weapons turned to molten slag in their hands, scalding the men and detonating their bullets in explosive fashion. One of them lanced through a leg. The man screamed.

"Next." a finger crooked toward the remaining robbers. Realizing the severity of what they were up against, they tried to beg. He didn't listen.

A sweeping motion put an end to the life of the second thug, sending his smoldering body sprawling out of the street and into a nearby plaza. He died without so much as a sound.

Behind him, the last of the thieves, a portly looking man who'd just about pissed himself, was now shaking in his boots. "W-Wait!" he sputtrered as the pyrokinetic stalked towards him. "I know you! Blond hair, red/blue eyes, and that fire...y-you're him!" the words came in a panic. "You're the one all over the news!" he collapsed to his knees with a fearful shriek, leaving the teenager to tower over him, his smoldering sihouette a blank outline in the gloom, still cooking with tiny trails of smoke and flame. "That crazy vigilante esper kid!"

He kept coming.

"_Napalm!"_

"You are correct, sir." Behind his half-mask the boy smiled, slowing to a halt before him, "Yes, that's right. I'm surprised you recognize me. Although..." Almost leisurely, he began to tug off his right glove, exposing the fingers of his hand. "One does wonder and it begs the question," Idly, the burglar noticed this spiderweb of scars that all but covered his palm, a latice of old burns that captivated the mind, and drew the eye. "If you've heard of me, And you know what I'm capable of," He got an even closer look, as that very hand reached down and covered his face, lifting him into the air as though he weighed no more than a feather. "Why you would be out here in the first place?"

Mouth muffled by that scorching palm, the man managed only a terrified keening sound. Miracuously, the boy threw him back down, leaving him to scramble away. Then he saw the blue - orange sphere swelling in that scarred hand.

"Please don't kill me! _**PLEASE!"** _he sobbed, desperately trying to scramble away without putting pressure on his wounded leg. Thick, fat fears trailed down his chubby face. "I've got a family, man! Kids! I was doing this for them!"

The flames flickered momentarily in that hand. "What are their names?"

"Huh?"

_"Their. Names."_

"Nanako! Shinji!" the answer came quickly. A little too quickly. There was a silence. Napalm didn't immediately reply. But when he did...

"You're lying."

Shit! How did he know?!

"The human body gives minute signs when it tells a lie. I am able to identity those signs." There was no pity to be found in that soulless gaze now; it was like looking into the eyes of a husk, dead, emotionless and filled with nothing but disdain. "Now, burn."

"I...I...I...!"

_"Dissapear!"_ A swirl of energy whirled around the esper, then shot out in a spiral from his palm. Bolts of electricity crackled all around the two of them, and he felt a cage of heat lock onto his position, searingly into his very soul. Flames sparked to life just in front of the youth's fist and instantly filled the path before him, rushing towards them.

The remaining robber could do absolutely nothing at all. He tried desperately to dodge but the spiraling path moved with him, guiding the flames in an unblockable and undodgeable blaze. It slammed against his torso, legs, and even his arms, searing skin and flinging him back to the edge of the building, where he was barely able to hold on. Then the blond fired again and he knew nothing more. The subsquent explosion blasted out across almost an entire city block, slightly singeing the adjacent buildings that had somehow escaped his last attack.

A tiny bit of his will killed the inferno entirely.

There was a silence as the fires died down abruptly, the quiet broken only by the occasional crackle of the burning asphalt. Napalm breathed it in, glorying in this. _A fine night's work,_ he thought to himself, taking in the ash with quiet satisfaction-and minimal property damage this time to boot. _Now, to make my getaway before Anti-Skill or Judgement tries to arrest me-or not!_

His lips quirked down in a frown as a bold bolt of electricity filled his peripheal visions. A firewall sprang up between him and the blast, nullifying it with his own element. The effort sent him skidding backwards a foot or so, enough time to get his bearins and nothing more. Someone exulted loudly.

"Found you!"

He turned slightly at the voice, blazing eyes regarding her with idle curiosity. They widened slightly at who they found there. Brown eyes. Short hair. Tokiwadai uniform. His lips curled in a slight smile.

"Ace of Tokiwadai," the boy mused aloud, his voice rising to make itself heard over the roar of the flame. "Misaka Mikoto. I'm impressed that you found me...again. I thought Anti-Skill or Judgement would come for me first this time. Instead, I encounter you. Fasincating. Wouldn't you agree?" As swiftly as his interest had waxed, so too, did it wane. His eyes shifted back to the blaze. "If you're loooking for a fight I'm afraid I won't be able to indulge you this time.

"You should eave the way you came. I've no intention of harming someone like you, but I will not let myself be captured here. Not now." As if to punctuate that very statement, a wave of flames surged over the streets lilke lava, sending her scurrying for safety. A muscle jumped in her jaw as she stared down the level five. Heat and lightning met once more and this time, she actually managed to get a decent shot in. Give him a good jolt. He spasmed slightly, but otherwise gave no indications of being harmed. His head turned, slowly, back towards her.

"I asked you what you were doing!" she snapped!

"I thought that much was obvious." he answered. "I killed them. They planned to rob this bank. Death is their punishment."

"So you decided to charr half a city block?"

"Please, he scoffed. "the damage is only cosmetic. I don't hurt innocents."

"I would've thought someone like you would care more about their city."

"An old friend told me something similair," Napalm said. He stepped out back into the raging inferno, to which the soot currently coating him all but evaporated. "Curse the darkness all you like, but you'd better pack a fucking flamethrower if you want to fight it. I am that flamethrower. And I burn all those who dare to threaten this city."

"Charming."

He gave a short, rough laugh and turned back to the burning wreckage, trailing the fire like a cloak.

"Ah, but that's the thing. I don't _care what you think._ I'm just a tool. An instrument of justice. They say a hammer can degrade, a hammer can decay - but, hells, it can still be repaired, it can still improve. If you throw it away the minute it starts to show wear, then you might as well throw away all the good it can do as well. And this instrument has a lot of life left in it." Fires fanned around him in response, beckoning. "Now, are you going to move, or do I have to make you? You may be my junior, but that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

"Try me."

"Very well." The flames beneath him quivered as their heat was channeled up into his palm, forminng a blazing offense. She braced herself, a preapatory spark arching across her fingers. But instead of flinging it at her, he drove it into the street. An angry cloud of soot and ash kicked up from the resulting explosion; blasting blinding steam in every direction. Shit! Too late she realized what he'd done; if he attacked her now, she would have no chance to counter. But no attack came. Instead, she felt a gloved hand brush her cheek in passing.

"Goodbye, Misaka."

Sputtering, she swiped at him. Her hand passed through empty air.

When the smoke cleared, he was gone.

* * *

Naruto and pain were old friends.

A thousand times he had felt its searing kiss blossom across his body. In hundreds of different ways. Dozens of angles. Countlessly. Be it the agony of a broken limb or the burning humiliation of his father striking him in the face, or even something more benign like cutting himself while sprinting, he knew it well, and it knew him. He'd long since learned to block it out; to ignore his nerves when they screamed at him, begged him to stop, stop, stop, oh dear sweet kami above make it _stop._ It was a simple matter of focusing his attention elsewhere. Looking outward, instead of inward.

He could bypass all but the most debilitating injuries this way, thus allowing him to fight on while his body frantically worked to stitch itself back together. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it took a week to heal from some of the wounds he sustained on the job. This? This, would only take a few hours before he was moving again. That didn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch. Misaka had gotten him good, back there. She just didn't know it. Nearly all of his muscles had clamped down.

"Godamnit, Misaka!" he hissed quietlly, ripping off his mask and shucking off his jacket as he lurched back into his apartment. "Why you gotta be so rough?!" Trembling fingers slapped at the door, forcing it shut behind him. It slammed with a painful crack, causing his already massive headache to flare again with undue pain. He ignored it. And the the electrical burns covering his back. Ignore. A silent mantra echoed in his head.

_Ignore. Suppress. Triage. Move on_. Anything else was...

...problematic.

Then again, his life had always been that way, hadn't it? Ever since mama died giving birth to his sister. Since she got hit by a car. Since dad started beating on him. Since he'd killed his father in retaliation, charred his progenitor to ash and scattered them to the winds. His life had always been problematic, since the day he'd been born with this hateful power. Perhaps those blessed with fire were also cursed by it, doomed to live a life of pain and destruction, to cause agony to all who came near them. Misaka was the exception to that ugly belief; the only light in an otherwise dark, lonely existence for him. Of course there were Kuroko and Uihara but their friendship was a tiny candle compared to the burning bond he had with Mikoto.

But even she, his best friend, didn't know the truth. She never would. Because she didn't know the real him. She only saw what he wanted her to see. Both as Naruto, and as Napalm.

_Napalm._

The blond chuckled softly to himself. He rather liked the name. Just another layer.

His life always -always- consisted of layers. _Napalm_ was simply the newest one to be added to the many masks that sheltered his true self from the eyes of the world but in a way it _was_ his true self; that fierce, burning to desire to bring fierce, flaming justice down on all those who did evil in this city. By killing them. If you were dead, you couldn't rise again to wreak more havoc on the world. If you were dead, you couldn't rob a bank, couldn't abuse your kids. It was a twisted mentality, but it was his mentality. And it had served him well thus far.

They, her and the rest of the world, wouldn't understand.

The pain in his head had sharpened to the point of a needle by now, but it was good pain, bright and clear, hard and clean, like a blade of transparent aluminium running gently across his mind, and suddenly everything was wonderfully, lucidly clear. He could think again. His power was cauterizing his wounds; the strange regeneration he'd inherited from his father -only real good thing that bastard ever gave him- slowly repairing their scars and healing the damage. A blink and his eyes were both blue once more.

And the world was none the wiser.

Come morning, he wouldnt have so much as a scratch. People would look at him and see the mild-mannered Uzumaki Naruto, a harmless Level One. Not the terrifying Napalm, bane of crime in Academy City. The irony of it all still made him smile sometimes. But not tonight. Tonight he was tired. He'd come dangerously close to attacking the one person whow as more important to him than anyone else in the world. It left him feeling empty inside. Hollow, even. He'd never forgive himself if she came to harm because of him.

Muttering softly to himself, he incinerated his outfit to ash and dumbed it into the trash. Half-heartedly, he tugged on a pair of slackss. Then stumbled to bed. His head struck the pillow unerringly, a wave of exhaustion creeping up on him almost before he'd even closed his eyes. And then he did.

Sleep took him instantly.

**A/N: And there we have it! I've been dying to make another forray into the worlds of both A Certain Magical Index and Railgun, and, I've finally found a way to do it, as suggested by Agurra of the Darkness. Hope ya'll enjoyed it! Vigilante Naruto for the win! Next chapter will be lighter and have some much needed humor. I'm sure ya'll can appreciate that after a morbid chapter like this, but it was neccessary to get the ball rolling. Hope you like my take on this true, down to earth Naruto!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would Ya Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! There be two of them this time!**

**(Preview)**

_"Hmm?" Naruto blinked his baby blue eyes, idly nipping at his chocolate parfait as his brain proccessed the words. "Napalm took somebody else down last night?" Mikasa nodded somberly at his words, idly aware of the melting parfait in her hands. Her attention was decidedly elsewhere._

_"Yeah, he killed three people this time. I managed to corner him but then he just...left._

_Her friend chuckled. "What's your deal with this guy? It sounds like ya expect him to fight you every chance you get."_

_"Jealous?"_

_"Nope. he demurred with a smile. "If anything, I feel sorry for him."_

_Mikasa frowned._ "You_ seem to look up to him, though."_

_"What's not to look up to?" He feigned a shrug as he leaned back against the bench, basking in the shade. "The guy's a hero. I mean a Level Five, kicking ass and taking names. Answering to no one but himself? What's not to like? He's a hero to a measly Level One like me." He'd been an ardently fierce supporter of the vigilante's actions ever since the attacks first began last year. Probably because he worked in Judgement? His ability wasn't all that special, he could create heat, make the occasional spark, maybe burn you a little bit._

_Nothing like the firestorm she'd face last night._

_She shook her head at the thought. Naruto was an old friend. She'd known him ever since she was little. He was her best friend. He couldn't be Napalm. Besides, he was a Level One..._

_...right?_

_"Aaaaaand I'll take a bite of that."_

_Frowning, she looked over, just in time to witness Naruto taking a healthy bite out of her own parfait. Indirect kiss! Her cheeks colored with more than just indignation._

_"HEY?!"_

* * *

_"Oi, now," Napalm cocked his head aside, smiling. "Little ol' me versus you, Accelerator? That's not very fair..._

_...for you."_

**R&amp;R! =D**


	2. Unlucky Strike

**A/N: Hey, all! I'm back! First off, I wanted to say thank you to all those who have supported me and encouraged me to stick with what I'm doing, and more importantly, to remain on this site. I've decided to buck and, despite the the undue anger and aggression I've been receiving from both sources anonymous and otherwise...I'm going to stick around. Writing has been my passion for all of six years, and I wouldn't give it up for the world.**

** If I stopped writing on this sight I'd just feel...hollow, ya know? So...**

**...let's burn! Also, just got a new computer-blasted chromebook- and I'm just getting used to it, so please forgive any spelling errors! I'M BACK BABY! And as a note, the title for this chapter is based off a rather amusing Misaka amv called Unlucky Strike. Be sure to check it out! A**

**As I'm sure some of you are wondering, YES Naruto and Accelerator will clash in this chapter. No arguements please, just enjoy the fight! Its a pivotal moment in the series; because of these two titans going at it this early, some people will live and some people will DIE in later chapters because of it. No going back, now!**

**Also, I recommend looking up Misaka 9982 on youtube. I believe the video was literally thus from the series: ****To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S - Misaka 9982**

**Holy crap she's adorable! The level of moe is waay too high! I've altered events slightly, which only makes this even more sad...**

_"The devil's luck. Yup, that's gotta be it.."_

_~Misaka._

**Unlucky Strike**

_Lightning._

It too is the spark of life, that very essence that defines existence. Energy, in its purest form. Almost unstoppable, indestructible, capable of vaporizing anything in its path. Few can understand it; even less are accepted by it; this deadly force from on high. Magicians struggle to understand it. Scientists claim to know comprehend it.

They are both wrong.

Like fire, it can destroy...but it can also create. Empower.

Some legends claim that Fire and Lightning are twins immemorial; equal, yet opposing elements that understand one another. They create and destroy. Destroy and create...then, repeat. An endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. They were not gentle like the other elements; often, the few who command them go mad from the burden of wielding such power. Such responsibility.

You know the saying.

After all, you can't have a fire without a spark. And the more sparks the better...

_...right?_

* * *

"Right?"

"Mrmhph." Naruto managed a semi-sentinent grunt, his head dipping slightly as he struggled with consciousness. It was a losing battle. With each passing second he felt the allure of sleep calling him; a sweet, siren of a song, irresistible and compelling. It would be easy just to drift off here on this park bench, the searing rays of summer sunshine shaded by the trees. Yes...so tempting...

"Oi, Naruto?"

Yes, surely she wouldn't mind if he dozed off. It wasn't as if this was a date or anything...

"Earth to blondie!"

Just a few seconds of shut eye...

_**"NA~RU~TO~!"**_

"MUWAH?! Who?! What?! When, where, why?! I didn't do it, I swear!" The blond sputtered awake and uprightly, blinked baby blue eyes rapidly, pausing only as an afterthought to nip at his chocolate parfait whilst his brain blearily processed the words. To say that he was exhausted would have been a massive understatement; his reflexes still slow from lack of sleep. Weary didn't even begin to define him. Napalm had been terribly busy last night, and he was feeling every instant of it now.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Misaka Mikoto, the Ace of Tokiwadai, gazed back at him, her eyes mired in thin veiled suspicion. "Wha-did you doze off again?! You've been doing that a lot lately."

"W-What are you talking about?" He sputtered. "I've just had a ton of homework yesterday, is all. Hard to sleep when you have grades like mine."

"Naruto, its a weekend." she deadpanned. How can you have homework."

"I...take extra classes." Naruto was suddenly and intensely aware of the costume he was wearing beneath his school garb; he'd been all but exhausted when he'd woken this morning, and hadn't realized his colossal mistake until it was too late. Now it was too late to rectify it. The light flame retardent material felt uncomfortably hot against his skin in the summer heat beneath his orange blazer, beneath that cold and calculating-penetrating!-stare of hers.

"Really."

"Really." he willed himself not to falter. "And hey, I _did_ hear you before!"

"So then, sleepyhead, what did I say before?" she challenged, grinning.

Truly it was at times like this that he tired of the charade. It would be so much easier to tell her, wouldn't it? But no, though the temptation was there, he resisted.

In the end, as ever, he held his tongue.

"I heard ya, I heard ya." he quickly averted his eyes. "Napalm took somebody else down last night-right?" Mikasa nodded somberly at his words, seemingly completely unaware of the steadily melting parfait warming in her hands. Her attention was decidedly elsewhere. Those bright eyes were now locked on a nearby screen in the plaza.

"Yeah, he killed three people this time." she murmured, frowning at the news. "I managed to corner him for a bit, but then he just...left.

Her friend chuckled. "What's your deal with this guy? It sounds like ya expect him to fight you every chance you get."

"Jealous?"

"Nope. he demurred with a smile. "If anything, I feel sorry for him."

Mikasa frowned. "Sorry?"

"Yup. If he has to deal with you a nightly basis, sparky."

_Bzzt._

Naruto effortlessly ducked when a tiny trickle of electricity shot overhead. "You'll have do better than that! I may be a level one, but my reflexes are still better than yours!" Misaka tsked softly to herself. They were, too. He had always beaten her whenever they sparred in hand-to-hand combat. It was one of the thing she resolved to best him in, someday.

"You seem to look up to him, though." she muttered, changing the subject.

"What's not to look up to?" He feigned a shrug as he leaned back against the bench, basking in the shade. "The guy's a hero. I mean a _Level Five_, kicking ass and taking names. Answering to no one but himself? What's not to like? He's a hero to a measly Level One like me." He'd been an ardently fierce supporter of the vigilante's actions ever since the attacks first began last year. Probably because he worked in Judgement? His ability wasn't all that special, he could create heat, make the occasional spark, maybe burn you a _little_ if he really tried.

Nothing like the firestorm she'd faced last night.

She shook her head at the thought. Naruto was an old friend. She'd known him ever since she was little. He was her best friend. He couldn't be Napalm. Besides, she knew for certain that he was a Level One-one who'd been tested countless times. You couldn't fool the System Scan like that just by tamping down your abilities. But Naruto wouldn't do that. If he really was that powerful, surely he'd show it, right?

...right?

"Aaaaaand I'll take a bite of that."

"Oh sure, go ahead-HEY?!"

Frowning, she looked over, just in time to witness Naruto taking a healthy bite out of her own parfait. _Indirect kiss!_ Her cheeks colored with more than just indignation and hurriedly, she snatched it away. Unfortunately, in her haste to preventing him from eating the rest of it, she hurriedly crammed the rest of it into her mouth and swallowed. Too late, Misaka realized what she'd done.

Steam. Steam was coming out of her ears, now!

"Wha?" he grinned innocently at her sputtering blush. "I'm no Kuroko. I'd never take advantage of you."

* * *

Some distance away, a pink-haired girl suddenly sneezed. Her braids bobbed violently from the motion, a foot momentarily rising from the prone back of a thugh.

Bright eyes fluttered open and shut.

"Ah. I wonder if Onee-sama is talking about me~?"

* * *

"Some friend you are." Misaka huffed, looking away. "Now I'm going to get indigestion." Yup, that was Misaka Mikoto for you. Rarely true with her feelings.

Thankfully, he had a way around that.

_Time for my ultimate techinque!_

"Oh? And here I was going to give you this, but if we're not friends...guess I can't huh?" Naruto said with an innocent smile as he reached into his pocket, unveiling a familiar keychain. It took his childhood friend all of a single second to see the rare, limited edtion, white Gekota. "And after all the trouble I went to get this for you, my bestest of best friends...

Her eyes lit up like a cat looking at mouse.

Naruto grinned. _Gotcha. Don't underestimate me, sparky! We've been best friends for years! I know all your weakness! Here it comes-oh-hey, that's new?! JESUS MOTHA-!_

He didn't even have time to balk before she pounced.

_"You! Are! Fooorgiiiiiven!" _Her delighted squeal was almost childish by comparison as her cheek rubbed against his. While he was distracted, she snatched the keychan out of his hand joyfully and bounced away, batting at her new possession like a kitten with yarn. No amount of moe -nothing on earth!- could possibly hope to compare to the sheer amounts of adorable she was exuding in that moment.

"So, how about some more training?" the question, sudden as it was, nearly caught him flatfooted.

"Wha?" Naruto found himself guffawing,

"I'm a level one! You'll kick my ass!"

"But you said so yourself; you'll never improve if you don't fight strong opponents!" At these words, Naruto blanched even further. Curse him for telling that lie!

He shook his head vehemently. "Misaka, no. I'm not going to let you...you...

Misaka held her hands together, her eyes shining almost tearfully as she shuffled her feet uncharacteristically. "Please?" It was a whisper. "I want you to be the best you can be." Well now, that was different! Where on earth had she...why was she...this didn't make any sense! This wasn't like her at all! Was it because he'd gotten her that Gekota? "Or...am I not good enough?" Ouch. Those words stabbed him right in the heart like an irate javelin from on high.

_WHERE DID THIS EVEN COME FROM?!_

Naruto groaned, feeling the last brick in the wall of his resistance crumble away into dust.

"I...fine." he sighed, deflating beneath her gaze. "Just don't tell Kuroko-

"YOU CALLED, ONEE~SAMA~?!"

Thankfully, he never had to finish that sentence. Because at that very moment a certain teleporter chose to make herself known, literally popping into existence on Misaka's back without pause or the least bit of warning at all. Naruto immediately realized she'd positioned her hands for optimal groping. Just as he realized what was coming next. There was an ominous silence, broken only by the slow flushing of Misaka's face. He counted quietly on his fingers, watching as her eyes became shaded by those auburn locks. Three...two...one...

"KUROKO!"

**BAM!**

Naruto chuckled as . "Ah, and the pervert returns."

"Onee-sama...who is this...this person speaking to you in such a familiar tone?" Hmm. Nice recovery. There was a pause as she took in his familiar features. "NARUTO?!"

"Osu! What's up, boss? Haven't seen you since we worked together last week!"

"Onee-sama, who is this brute to you?!"

"Hmm? Well, he's my childhood friend and...

Much scowling and finger-pointing followed on the girl's part. "Childhood friend! Guy! You are Kuroko's enemy now, Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Kuroko. Hush." It was not a request. The Level Four wisely obeyed. Naruto chose that moment to try and smooth things over with his fellow Judgement member. Wouldn't do to alienate her after all; he couldn't simply brush her off like Napalm would, after all.

"Oi oi now, there's no need for-

That was when he saw him.

A head of white hair amongst the crowd. Blue eyes shrank to to the size of a dime. Him?! What was he doing here?! He saw him only for a moment, meandering almost lazily down the street. For a moment he thought it was merely a case of mistaken identity but no...

A pause.

Time itself seemed to slow as the stranger turned his face-presenting him with a visage that had haunted his darkest dreams. He saw him! Beady eyes glowered at him beneath a mop of shaggy white hair, his mouth an irate, arrogant curve beneath. Naruto felt the parfait slip from his hands and splatter onto the floor, utterly forgotten as he stared into those eerie orbs. From across the street, the boy almost seemed to sneer a thim.

"Heh."

The boy grinned, and that grin was obscured, just a for a moment-then he vanished behind a bus as it passed by. Then he was gone.

All the world ceased to be around him. The image was fleeting, but it was one he knew all too well. That...face! Those azure orbs hardened, becoming angry, sapphire diamonds. Him. _Him!_ **HIM?!** After all those years of searching, that bastard just came out of nowhere, appeared before him, and vanished again...

He jerked upright just as Kuroko started in with Misaka again.

"Hey, where are you going?!"

"Onee-sama! Don't look at him!" The teleporter wailed. "Look only at me~!"

"GET! OFF!"

_Urk._

"Kuroko is shocked!"

When Misaka finally managed to wriggle free and looked again, Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

_(Later that night...)_

"Oi, where the hell did you go?!"

"Sorry, sorry, something came up. I wasn't expecting it, either." Naruto patiently weathered Misaka's angry diatribe over the phone, stoically enduring her angry rant as her voice raged at him through the speaker. As ever he deflected her with jokes and humor, claiming that he had seen an old friend and needed to speak with them. Needless to say, she wasn't too pleased with his behavior; especially being left to the mercy of Kuroko and her incessant questions anyway.

"Do you have any idea what she asked me?! She think's we're...you know!"

Naruto nearly choked on his own spit.

...are we?"

There was an awkward silence. Finally, she broke it. "I...don't know. I get the feeling you're keeping something from me."

"Ara, what kind of secret could a humble level one keep from you?" Naruto laughed.

"If you keep dismissing me like this, I'm not going to treat you anymore."

"I'll get you a lifetime supply of Gekota~!" he sang.

"Deal! I'll meet you tomorrow near the pachinko machine! Don't be late!"

"Hai~!"

The line clicked off.

"Game set and match." Naruto chuckled, tugging up his mask as the call ended. "Sorry, Misaka-chan, but you might not see me for awhile after this." It hurt him to admit it, but this was one battle he might not be able to walk away from in once piece. For the first time since he'd began his career as the crime-killer vigilante known as Napalm, he found himself walking into a fight that could very well kill him.

In the end it didn't matter, anymore.

He had finally found him.

Accelerator, the strongest level five in Academy City, an insurmountable obstacle no esper could ever hope to surpass without significant outside aid. A mystery, wreathed in violence and blood, someone seldom seen in the city. He'd found him. Tracked him down to the docks. By contrast, he was almost painfully easy to find this time. Now that he knew what he was looking for.

You just had to follow the vectors. Those subtle traces he left from using his ability could be tracked if you had the proper equipment, and Naruto had stolen from the best. Flames were useful that way; enough heat had not only the power to burn through locks and create deadly flames, but when you got inventive, you could do all sorts of things. Enough heat in the atmosphere itself could provide a dense fog when it was cold, just as a tight microwave beam could fry cameras and scramble any facial-recognition systems.

But tonight, it felt easy, t_oo easy._

The night was still young as he roared across the sky, the cool breeze soft on his burning face as he pondered his opponent's position. He had to be prepared. Going off half cocked only meant death; and a messy one at the hands of this guy.

He'd even brought his mother's blade for the occasion; a great honking cleaver Kubikirihoucho she claimed to have used during her "mage-hunting days" before he'd been born. More ludicrous still was the claim that it'd been given to her by a demon named Zabuza. To this day, she wasn't sure if that was a metaphor, or this Zabuza persona really _was _a demon.

Hopefully it would be enough.

Slaughtering disgusting rapists, murderers and thugs who dared to commit crimes had been a mere warmup, compared to this. Here was a foe who was not only likely his equal, but likely stronger than him. He had little expectation of winning tonight; if anything, he suspected he might very well lose. But in that same vein, he couldn't just let the bastard get away with that he done. So he ran, and he readied himself, preparing his traps and making his preparations for the fight as he neared his objective.

Yes, that day, the day everything had changed...

One way or another, it ended tonight.

And then he saw Misaka.

Only, it wasn't her...

...not at all.

* * *

_(Meanwhile...)_

Misaka 9982 knew she was going to die.

She had accepted this from the beginning, fought hard, tried her best. She really had. She'd obeyed the director's orders and tried her hardest in the experiment. She really, truly had. But of course, she, like the others who had gone before her, was no match for him. Every trick, technique, and trap were executed flawlessly. Yet in the end, it didn't even matter. He simply turned it all back on her with that sinister smile, laughing back at her for her foolishness.

And yet...

"Aw man, this is boring." That same eerie, terrifying voice drawled over her. "I've had enough of this."

Her life flashed before her eyes in an instant as her opponent prepared to drop the rail car on her. Not much of a life, in retrospect. She remembered waking up, crying. Someone rubbing her head with a towel. And only a short time later she was here. Living. Fighting. Dying. Here, bleeding from a wound to her face, barely able to squint through all the blood.

She was only three days old.

Yet even so, at death's door, she felt...something. Fear. She didn't want to die. No. '_Misaka doesn't want to..._

The car fell.

_"Danzai!" _**(Condemnation!)**

But there was no pain.

She dared to open her eyes, wondering why she was alive. Why she was still moving. Misaka did not understand. She should be dead. Her body was not strong enough to resist being crushed. And yet, when she looked up, she beheld a black cloak, billowing from a broad back. A sizzling sword superheated to an almost molten edge. The smoldering halves of the abandoned train car-a car, that by all rights, should have crushed her flat like a pancake-lay on opposite sides of her; its bifurcated edges still smoldering from the high friction blade swinging through them.

Willing to look closer, she found herself staring at a masked face. Mismatching eyes, one blue, the other red, stared down at her in confusion.

"What the fuck?" An unfamiliar face drawled beneath the mask. "You...you're not Misaka."

"Who...are you? Misaka asks in confusion." she said. "Misaka does not undersand."

"You...you talk strangely. And I asked you first!"

"Misaka is Misaka 9982."

Those eerie eyes widened. "Wait a minute...that number...

"Misaka 9982 is one of many sisters, Misaka explains the situation to the strangers. It does not matter if she dies-

"Don't say that!"

His shout startled her, causing her to cringe.

...you don't get to say that." He muttered, stalking forwards. "Not with her face. Just stay there. You're not going to die tonight."

"Misaka insists that Misaka is not afraid-

A single blue eye reappeared over his shoulder, rooting her where she lay.

"Then why are you crying?"

Her hand rose tremulously, suddenly aware of the moisture on her cheeks. What? Indeed. A small, tremulous sob leaped from her lips, unbidden. She scrubbed furiously at her face, trying to stop the tears, but they had no intention of listening to her. Nor did her body. She didn't understand. She wasn't sad. If anything, she was a little happy. So why then, why was she...?

"Misaka...Misaka does not understand...

"You don't have to understand. Its only natural that a person would want to live."

It was the first time someone had called her a "person" rather than an "it", she realized. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Who...are you, Misaka asks?" her lower lip quivered slightly as a hand descended, mussing her hair.

The youth smiled at her, tugging up his mask once more.

"I'm the one that's going to save you."

Then he kept right on walking.

* * *

"OI, ACCELERATOR!"

Accelerator wasn't sure if he was pissed or pleased by this point.

On one point, someone had stepped in and ruined the experiment. On _the other __hand_ this wacko had just sliced through several tons of solid steel as though it were butter. That took some strength; or barring that, he'd bet it required some serious skill. Wait a minute. He _did _recognize this guy; the mask, that outfit, those blazing emerald flames, shining like jade lights behind him...

Napalm.

The city's last, and possibly most dangerous rogue level five. Huh. He'd thought he was a myth. It seemed almost too cliche to be real, someone who went around killing criminals with fire.

"The hell're you doing here?"

...I'm wondering the same thing about you, murderer." A tiny ember scrawled in the air between them, a furious spark ready to erupt at a moments notice.

"Hey, that's rude, asshole! Don't make me sound like a psychopath or something." he spread his arms, indicating the prone "sister" as he called them. "It's an experiment, an experiment! You get it, right? I'm not killing humans at all! These things are just emotionless dolls people can create at the push of a button! It's not like they f-

"Ennetsu Jigoku." **(Flames of Hell)**

Accelerator flashed out of existence as a column of fire erupted from the ground beneath him. Scarce had he landed then another towering pillar of flame closed on him. And another. And another. No matter how many times he moved it seemed another fiery burst was only seconds behind. Not enough to hurt him certainly, but just enough to force him to keep moving. "Oi oi oi oi?! What the hell is this?! Don't tell me ya expect to hit me with something like th-

_-at?"_

Those words ended in an annoyed frown as a burst of furious flame exploded before his eyes, vision swelling from green to outragerous orange and gold. "Che. More fire, huh?! That means nothing to me!" Scoffing, he swatted the heat away with an afterthought, altering its vector and sending it caroming back towards the blond. A hand snapped up and interposed itself between the blast-catching the fiery sphere and extinguishing it with ease. The fires only burned brighter in response.

"You...you're killing these just because of that?" words, growled through gritted teeth. "To become stronger?!"

"And why the hell not?! Its not like they're hum-

Another blast of fire. Another reversal.

"WILL YOU FUCKING LET ME FINISH?!"

Once more, the effect repeated itself.

"Nice try. My element doesn't affect me; it only makes me stronger. Deflect it at your own peril. Oi, now," Napalm cocked his head aside, sneering furiously beneath the mask. "Yoi know, its funny. I thought I hated you before, but now...now...

"Ah?"

...now I _despise_ you."

"Haaaah?" His fellow level drawled, scowling as they spun away from one another. "You got _another_ beef with me, too? Just say it."

Naruto felt his face twitch beneath the mask, a spark snarling through clenched teeth.

Yes, he did have "beef" with this insufferable brat. A pain etched into his very soul, an agony that defined his very existence. The reason he'd become Napalm in the first place, the motivations for his callous slaughter of men and women who did evil. It seemed like such a stupid, petty thing. His mother. The "accident" that had taken her life. Not an accident at all. He remembered that face, that grin, that laugh even then, reverberating in his ears.

Not an accident. A hit by Aleister, meant to make an example of someone in the Uzumaki family. And it had. Just not in the way he'd expected.

He'd been training himself in secret, beating his body bloody, working himself into the ground for this very moment...! The one person he wanted to kill more than Aleister Crowley! The one responsible for the ruin of his family, the reason he'd lost his mom, his unborn sister, and then years later, his father, dead at his own hand. Unbidden his own rose, ripping his mask free, exposing his face.

"Kushina. Nazumi. They had _names...!"_

He wasn't prepared for the laugh.

"Seriously? You're upset about _that?_ I don't even...ha!" It started softly at first, a snicker snaking through his opponent's teeth. Then his head fell back and words dissolved into full-throated laughter."HAHAHAHAHAHA! Why would I care about a bunch of shitheads that got in my way that day while I was crossing the street?! It was their own damn fault!"

"...what...?"

Naruto felt his heart drop into his stomach. An accident? No, no, it couldn't be, because if it was, then his purpose, everything he'd-no. To think that way was to plummet into a neverending spiral of depression, just like his old man. He refused to think that way! He refused to let his family's deaths be demeaned in that way!

Accelerator only snickered.

"You no good shit hole," he drawled, still bemused. "I was expecting some idiot to come after me for _something_ here, but you?" Now his head cocked aside, like a dog listening to a new sound. "That snot-nosed kid from the wreck way back when? I don't even remember your name! And just because you're stronger doesn't mean I'm any weaker, idiot!"

In all his life, Naruto had never felt cold. Until now.

Until now, the raging fire of his hate had always been inside him, a constant flame pushing him to be better, to strive harder. Now that flame froze, becoming a lake of frigid ice in his heart, a nuclear wasteland of death and lifelessness. A hand extended slowly, fingers clenching into a fist. Black fire gathered around his arm, swirling like a thing alive. Perhaps it was.

"Maybe, but I've been studying you. Can you deflect something that _isn't_ there?"

A flicker of confusion flashed in those maddened eyes. "Eh?"

"Aw, what's wrong? Is the big bad Accelerator afraid to attack?!"

His hand shot out-

-but the blond was already gone.

"Devil's Step." Grinning, he flashed into existence behind the baffled boy, his feet still flickering with flames. "I _would_ explain the principles of it to you, but I think I'll just keep it secret for now. Like I said, ya can't," he popped out of existence again when the whitehead lunged, "Affect," Pop, "What you can't touch!" Another fade and he was gone once again-long before his adversary could find him. "And I know better than to fight you at close range!"

A final flicker, and they were apart once more. The whitehead growled, glaring down at his slightly singed shirt. Tch! He hadn't calculated fast enough.

"You know," he snarled, "I'm going to enjoy wrecking your shit after that.

A hand raised slowly, beckoning. "Bring it on! I'll make you work for it"

_"Gladly!"_

Then they collided in a storm of vectors and fire.

**A/N: And there we have it! I've been dying to make another forray into the worlds of both A Certain Magical Index and Railgun, and, I've finally found a way to do it, as suggested by Agurra of the Darkness. Hope ya'll enjoyed it! Vigilante Naruto for the win! Next chapter will be lighter and have some much needed humor. I'm sure ya'll can appreciate that after a silly, sad, chapter like this, but it was neccessary to get the ball rolling. Hope you like my take on this true, down to earth Naruto, with a little darkness in him...**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would Ya Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! Sorry, there be only one this time!**

**(Preview)**

_"Okay. Supernova. Point blank. Baaad." Naruto blew a ring of smoke and stood slowly amidst the wreckage, dusting himself off. "Very bad." His mask lay in tatters around his face, ripped to pieces by the explosion. He'd actually burned himself, such was the heat and even though those burns were healing, he wasn't certain if his enemy was still kicking. Even after an attack like that, he wasn't entirely certain-_

_"Naruto...?"_

_His head whipped around so fast he nearly got whiplash. And then he saw who was standing there. It wasn't Accelarator. He almost wished it where._

_Oh, balls._

_He was looking at the real Misaka._

**R&amp;R! =D**


	3. Unmasked

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news! This story has returned! Bad news: I lost the last two chapters when my house flooded. That's right, I'm starting fresh all over again!**** But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could!**

**Yup, I'm back! First off, I wanted to say thank you to all those who have supported me and encouraged me to stick with what I'm doing, and more importantly, to remain on this site. I've decided to buck and, despite the the undue anger and aggression I've been receiving from both sources anonymous and otherwise...I'm going to stick around. Writing has been my passion for all of six years, and I wouldn't give it up for the world.**

**If I stopped writing on this sight I'd just feel...hollow, ya know? So...**

**As I'm sure some of you are wondering, YES someone will lose in this chapter. No arguements please, just enjoy the fight! Its a pivotal moment in the series; because of these two titans going at it this early, some people will live and some people will DIE in later chapters because of it. No going back, now!**

**Also, I recommend looking up Misaka 9982 on youtube. I believe the video was literally thus from the series: ****To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S - Misaka 9982.**

**Holy crap she's adorable! The level of moe is waay too high! I've altered events slightly, which only makes this even more sad. And an insult here, "second-string" implies that Accelerator believes Naruto/Napalm to be weaker than him. Question is though...  
**

**...is he? Sorry if this chapter is short!**

_"Tear off my arms...I'll kick you...rip off my legs...and I'll...BITE YOU!"_

_~?_

**Unmasked**

_"HADOUKEN~!"_

A ball of blazing blue flame burst out of Napalm's open palms like a comet reborn, azure brilliance streaking across the yard to rain sapphire fury upon his hated foe. Were anyone to witness such a feat from a distance they would've thought it a falling star. As it were, the only one who cared enough to remark on the flaming meteor didn't think much of it. Pearly white teeth flashed in a maddening laugh. Arms spread wide, as if they intended to embrace the blazing meteor bearing down on them.

"Oi, oi, you play too many video games, shithead!" Accelerator cackled, raising a hand to intercept. "That won't work on-

_Zing!_

Without warning the blast sloped rapidly on the ground, skewing to the right.

The silver-haired esper followed the sphere's curve with a lazy eye, frowning, watching as it circled him like a beacon. Napalm maintained his distance, a thin stream of sputtering embers holding him aloft. Still, he made no move to attack. And that damn wisp was starting to get really annoying. What the hell was he up to this time? Cheeky little bastard hadn't managed to land a clean hit on him yet-did he really think that this new trick would make this fight anything less than a slau-

The fireball arced back towards him in midthought only to carom harmlessly away as it made contact with his calculations.

Accelerator scoffed.

"Hah? The hell was that?! Are you even aiming at-

Gone.

When he turned his attention to the sky where the pyromaniac had been, he found only a circle of scorched sky. In the distance he thought he caught a tiny speck of flame, steadily shrinking with each passing second in which he looked at it. Outrage took hold of Accelerator's excitement and throttled it senseless.

"Did you just fucking run away, second-string?!"

_"Not quite!"_

Accelerator's gaze snapped towards the voice, just in time to see the shipping container fill hiss vision._ Sneaky little...shit!_ The sheer force of his deflection drove him back half a step, but the crate itself fared even more poorly; reflected into the broken stones, the doors swunng wide and violently disgorged its contents in a cloud of white dust. That was when he felt it. Tasted it in the air. The bland taste of flour filled his mouth when he inhaled, eliciting an annoyed cough as he batted it away.

"You trying to piss me off or something?"

Laughter greeted him.

"Oh, look. One of those containers had a shitload of flour." his adversary grinned, calling down to him. "Ever heard of a dust explosion with a level five flame?" Offering up a palm, he revealed a tiny, keening sphere held within the facets of his fingers. "This move is an old favorite of mine. Made it just for your. An attack that...well, I wouldn't want to spoil it for ya." Hefting it high, he cast his hand back, like an baseball pitcher, ready to hurl his prize ball. "You _should _be able to dodge the explosion but you won't be able to avoid this."

The Number One Esper felt his smile slip, just a little.

"You fucking DOU-

Accelerator did, in fact dodge.

But not what came next.

"Katsu!"

The blond snapped his fingers and hurled world vanished in a swirl of flame.

It was a blast like nothing Academy City had ever seen before or would ever see again; some would later attribute it to the like of a nuclear warhead. A rolling wave of heat and fire that picked up the docks and scattered it all to the winds. Shipping containers were ripped free and smashed against one another like giant building blocks. Clouds boiled away overhead and the waters boiled below. The very earth itself was scorched, stones pitted and blackened by the force of the explosion, melted in some places, disintegrated in others.

And through it all, a dark shape resolved itself.

Naruto afforded himself a grim smile as he alighted upon one of the intact cargo containers. A hand rose slowly, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. Close. _Too_ close! Obliterating Accelerator was one thing, but he'd nearly caught himself in that blast. Nearly run out of oxygen. His flames could sustain themselves for a good while without it, but his body was another. Everyone needed to breathe sometime be he man or beast, and Napalm was no explanation.

Wait.

If there was no oxygen then-

"You had me worried there, ya know."

The thought disintegrated as a dull crunch registered in his ears.

_Ear._

A strange numbness crawled through the eastern side of his face, as though the flames burning about him had consumed it. That was impossible, of course. He was immune to fire. But still, the strange feeling persisted in spite of his best attempts to ignore it. Naruto blinked, baffled by this unexplained phenomenon. A hand rose. Touched his head. Came away bloody. Then came the pain. An awful, terrible ringing n his skull. Pain, like he had never experienced before, never recovered from, never regenerated.

This...this was none of those things. It was...

...agony.

For the first time since their battle had begun, Uzumaki Naruto howled.

_"Aaargh!"_

"Hehe," Accelerator snapped back into existence behind him, holding most of what had once been his right ear. "Hehehe," Through his muffled senses-as though he were trapped underwater-Napalm heard the laughter, that wild, demented cackle that sent shivers shooting down his spine. HehehehehehahahahahahehehahahahaHA!" The look on his face was one of pure, almost rapturous delight. "There it is! That's the sound I've been wanting to hear all night! How does it feel, ahn?! Can you hear me?!"

A wild spiral of flame lashed out at his attacker in answer, nimbly dodged.

"My turn!"

Naruto lurched backwards as silver hair flashed in his vision; but he was just a touch too slow. A thorn of pain pricked at him and held him back, slowing his reactions by just a silver of a second. That was all it took for Accelerator to pounce, for those pale fingers to brush against his left eye. Just a touch. A feather's brush, light as can be. That was all it took.

This time the shock was so great he nearly passed out.

"Not so tough now, huh?" Accelerator cooed darkly, grinning as blood-darkened fingers swung away. "You were talking some good shit earlier, but now...

_"Rasenshuriken."_

To his dismay, the attack never landed. Even as he lunged forward a foot stomped down, obliterating his wrist. Naruto staggered away, gasping, clutching at his bloodied eye, his wounded arm, willing them to heal. His remaining orb blazed bright and angry, glowering furiously up at his tormentor. A jet of flame hurled him away, and force once, his stalker didn't pursue.

_I can't beat him._

The thought stunned him; he'd always believed on some level that he could kill Accelerator. Make him pay for his crimes both past and now, in the present. Even going in part of him knew it wouldn't be easy-they were theoretically equal in strength and power, after all. It was that damn reflection of his! How could you hit something that always had its guard up?!

Naruto was Napalm. A level five esper. Quite possibly one of the strongest in Academy city. And he...

Just.

Didn't.

Have.

It.

It might've been minutes now-maybe hours since their match began. All he knew was that _this wasn't working _and he was losing. What had once begun as an even match was starting to slide in his adversary's favor. He was growing winded, while the vector manipulator was still fresh as a daisy. Every second he lost more and more blood, every moment his body spent desperately trying to stitch itself back together was another that he wouldn't have the energy to fight with.

Assuming he recovered from losing an eye and an ear at all!

_'Retreat! I have to retreat-_

"You done?" Accelerator called after him. "I've still got to take out the trash."

It would've been so easy to retreat then-to scurry home and lick his wounds. Live to fight another. And yet, when he saw his fellow esper start towards the prone form of Misaka's clone, something stirred. He didn't owe her anything-by rights, his interference probably wasn't all that welcome for a perfect stranger like her. And yet...

Accelerator frowned.

Frowned, as a Napalm dragged himself across the yard...

...and stood in his path.

A curtain of fire dropped between them; a silent declaration the blond's part. Accelerator flicked it away with a thought, mildly disgusted by this abrupt show of desperation. Didn't this idiot get it? It was over. He'd gone and thrown everything at him and he'd lost. He knew that dead, listless look in Napalm's good eye; he'd seen it countless times before. He should be on the ground by now, begging for his pitiful excuse of a life. That, it just made sense. It was the natural order of things. So why...

...why the hell did he keep getting back up again?! Why did he keep acting like he was invincible?!

"Oi. Move."

"..."

"This isn't funny." his lips pursed into a thin line. "I said, move." He could've shattered him a thousand different ways in that instant but instead, he shunted the blond aside. Rather, he tried to. It should have been easy for him, even without using his power. Instead, it was an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Stalemate. Try as he might, he wouldn't move. Frustrated, Accelerator flared the full of his abilities and tried to physically _shove _the roadblock aside. Nothing happened. He wouldn't move.

Deadlock.

Naruto didn't so much as twitch.

"What the hell do you have to lose by protecting a wind-up doll like her?"

His prey hissed softly.

"Everything. Tear off my arms...I'll kick you...rip off my legs...and I'll..._BITE YOU!"_

"Ahhhh, is that it?" Accelerator spat. "Maybe I'd be better off fighting the Original after all...she might actually give a challenge before she dies!"

Naruto twitched.

"The...Original...

The flames around him flickered erratically, taking on a eerie green hue.

..Misaka...

"Eh?"

_...DO YOU MEAN MISAKAAA**AAAAAAAAA?!"**_

* * *

_(...)_

* * *

"What the heck~?!"

Misaka yelped as a deafening explosion lit up the night.

Having been out for reasons of her own, she found herself brought up short. Rooted. All thoughts of her clone-sister!-and the impending experiment were wiped from her mind when faced with...

...this.

A curtain of green light draped itself across Academy City all at once, bathing the night in jade relief. Faced with this eerie emerald light, watching it span from block to block, one to another, Mikoto nearly froze up. This strange, lustrous pall held for another moment and faded, accompanied by thick clouds of black smoke. Were those sirens in the distance? As she watched the strange cloud of flame and smoke continue to expand, both her legs came

_Its him!_

_ Napalm!_

Without a thought, she broke into a run.

* * *

_(...)_

* * *

_Wildifre._

There is no life here in this flame, only death and destruction. No creation, only extinction. It burns through everyone and everything, consuming all in its path. It is death given form and focus, channeled by the darkest emotions brought to light. The most deadly flame imaginable, it scorches even the air itself. Melts metal and steel. Few, it any, can extinguish it. When faced with such a flame, one would be wise to run; to escape-to be as far, _far _away from such a combustible flame as possible.

Misaka 9982 didn't have that luxury.

She was looking at a hurricane of wildfire.

Fire filled the night in unending stream as she looked on; fury given life and power. Broken, deflected, born again. Someone was screaming-a furious, shrill sound of pure hatred. Flames the color of green, white, and a thousand other different colors scorched their way across the horizon, blazing and focusing into a single, furious point. A world's worth of energy, cradled between two palms. Something so small-so fragile-and yet, the longer she looked at it, the more nervous she became.

"Misaka does not understand...

"Ah?" Accelerator was of a like mind. The flames blazing around them seemed almost alive, forming a roiling vortex of heat and rage; and all that rage was being harnessed, channeled into what he could only assume to be Napalm's last ditch effort. Irritated though he was, he found himself almost curious to see what would happen next.

"Nice technique!" he called over the roaring flames. "You got that upset over this little doll over here? When no response came he frowned, tilting his head. "You're still concerned about that reject? She's just a piece of-

A green column of flame snarled forward, ripping him off his feet and hurling him to the ground. To. The. Ground. For a terrifying instant, Academy City's top esper found himself weightless; then gravity reasserted itself and he found his face intimate with the dirt in the worst way. Tossed, hurled like yesterday's trash, his body skipped violently against the ground, utterly unchecked. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he had no control over his own vectors. His mind was nigh but fling into disarray.

Nothing made sense. How the hell was this happening?!

By the time he regained some semblance of control over his own body, the boy was seething inside. Dragging himself to a halt actually required an _effort _on his part! As if that weren't humiliating enough, he could hear the little twat-the one who'd tossed him-laughing. Laughing! At him! Smug little shit! He'd die for that!

Furious, the silver-haired esper clamored to his feet.

...what did you just do?!"

Napalm coughed out a bloodied breath, still giggling inordinately. "...kill...you..."

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!"

...kill...

A blank eye swung towards him as its twin wept blood.

...you...

Narrowed.

"Kill. You." he grunted, eye rolling until only the whites of that eerie orb could be seen. "No oxygen. No air. Choke and die."

"En?"

A thin cloud of steam wafted out of the boy's bloodied mouth.

_"Die."_

That was all Accelerator heard before the blond took that energy gathered in his hands and clapped..

...then a flash of blinding white obliterated his vision.

* * *

_(...)_

* * *

Ow.

That was Naruto's first thought as he half-dragged, half-crawled himself out of the crater.

"Okay. Supernova. Point blank. Baaad." Naruto blew a ring of smoke and stood slowly amidst the wreckage, dusting himself off. "Very bad." His mask lay in tatters around his face, ripped to pieces by the explosion. He'd actually burned himself, such was the heat and even though those burns were healing, he wasn't certain if his enemy was still kicking. He couldn't feel his right arm; because it was gone. Who knew if that would heal, or not?

Even after an attack like that, he wasn't entirely certain-

"Naruto...?"

His head whipped around so fast he nearly got whiplash, the least shreds of his mask crumbling away the sharp movement. And then he saw who was standing there. It wasn't Accelarator. He almost wished it where. It wasn't even the Misaka clone he'd saved. He could see her a ways down the docks, sitting up, staring at him in disbelief. No. It was far worse than that.

Oh, balls.

He was looking at the real Misaka.

**A/N: And there we go. THIS STORY IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE AFTER A YEAR! Naruto and Accelerator fought to a near draw, but in the end, our favorite blond failed. Did Accelerator survive? I'll leave that to you to suss out, dear readers! Next chapter's gonna be a doozy, and a good deal longer than this!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas and myself...**

**...Would you Kindly Review this Story? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview)**

_"Alright, you're angry. I get that, but can we-_

_Silence reigned._

_Then she slapped him so hard he saw STARS._

_**R&amp;R! =D**_


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